Ch. 4 What's Right
Marahan walked through the rough interior of the wilderness. Her posture straight and head held high as she followed Spear to their colony's fort.
The bonobo in question walked slightly hunched, body leaning heavily on his weapon. Large red streaks joined the cinders adorning the dark hair on his chest.
She stared hard at the blood and looked away when Spear noticed her gaze.
Marahan instead switched it toward the forest attempting to memorize the environment in case she somehow needed to come and retrieve a member of their colony.
"If it wasn't for you, this would have been a lot worst."
The young woman's golden eyes met the lime green of the ape's.
"I thought you of all people would be unhappy that I was out here." She replied matching her steps with his own.
"You are doing your job, princess. Just as our king and queen protect the colony." Spear stated giving the human a small smile.
"Thank you, but I do regret involving Lake and Lily." Marahan replied guilt ebbing away at her. "We have already lost so much to this tedious war. I still think about what would have happened if things didn't go as planned"
Spear nodded in agreement, he fought everyday on the front lines risking his neck for as many apes as possible so that any of them could go home to their mates and offspring.
As a newly enacting general, Spear loathed to think about all the apes he failed to save thanks to an untimed explosion or last second decisions.
It didn't help either that their enemies had firearms, but somehow their army still claimed victory thanks to their future queen.
Why Marahan was stripped of her general status was obvious, but not right. She was a formidable force and a dangerous beauty.
Spear once saw Marahan take down eight male apes using only her bare fists (and that was during a training practice).
The mere sight terrified and impressed the bonobo.
Spear looked over at the princess eyes forward as they moved closer to the fort. Her long black hair swayed lightly as the wind blew through it.
The paint on her forehead and lips highlighting the glow of her golden eyes.
Oh, how the general envied Blue Eyes for capturing the heart of such a noble creature.
"Spear? Are you alright? You are staring at me pretty intensely."
The bonobo looked ahead for a second before returning to the awaiting princess.
"I wanted to apologize for everything. General Maurice and Prince Blue Eyes had come to talk to me afterwards and, - I should have told you instead of you finding out through Caesar's announcement."
Marahan's expression remained stoic as she reached over to Spear's shoulder and gave it a gentle pat.
She felt his breath even out in relief at the gesture.
"You are not responsible for what happened that day and you need not feel any regret for taking over my position. The blame falls to my king, my father and my mate." The woman muttered a hint of sadness in her tone.
It was apparent to Spear that she missed her former position and had yet to get accustomed to the new one.
"Princess, believe me when I say this. You may not feel it now, but there is no one better suited for this role than you." Spear confessed hoping this would somehow elevate some of her suffering.
"I doubt I will ever be suitable for this role." Marahan replied as her feet hit the dirt entrance of the colony's fort.
Sounds of chattering and moans of pain were heard from the outside. Spear took the lead, a quick glance her way told Marahan to be prepared for the horrors that awaited.
She bit her tongue before pressing forward, a pile of bodies meeting her front and center. Marahan didn't flinch or shed a tear at the decay, her focus was on preventing more of her people from suffering the same fate as the fallen.
The princess went to the apes who assisted in retrieving the fallen, she thanked each for their hard work and returned to stand next to Spear.
"Are the prisoners here?" Marahan asked inside the fort, she was carefully tending to a few injured soldiers. They held their hands out in respect as her nimble fingers graced their palms.
"Yes. They are being brought in as we speak. Caesar and the generals have been informed and are on their way here." Spear informed, he stood near the princess helping one of the soldiers with a wound on his arm.
The woman felt her heart sink, news of what she done probably spread like wildfire. Lake and Lily had been escorted by two soldiers back to the hideout, they would have already told Cornelia by now.
"I could sneak you out." Spear whispered, Marahan smirked.
"You could, but then retribution will be waiting for me back at the hideout." Marahan said getting to her feet as she saw the prisoners being shoved to their knees.
The woman resisted the urge to throw the Colonel's troops off the nearest cliff. In her eyes, they deserved worst for what happened today.
She couldn't tell how many of her people were dead in the pile by the entrance.
The mere thought fueled more of her anger especially toward the red gorilla who was currently near the end of the line. His head position to the side as he stared at the window a few meters from him.
There was no trace of guilt or shame for slaughtering his own kind.
Marahan shook her head stepping closer to their enemies as she observed each dirt-covered soldier. They held their heads down not meeting her gaze, from what the woman could see there were four humans and then the traitor, Red.
The princess was fine with the soldiers not staring.
From recent spy reports, the Colonel was aware of Caesar's existence as leader of the Ape Colony. He held no knowledge of her, Cornelia, Blue Eyes or Cornelius.
That was the colony's advantage over their enemies if the Colonel were oblivious to the heirs' existence the colony would never lack in leadership.
She walked behind Spear keeping her distance, her glare drilling into the human captives who trembled in fear.
One of the soldiers, timidly turned their eyes upward to look around. His wandering stopped as they settled on Marahan.
Her presence throwing the soldier off as his gaze lingered on her animal pelts, painted face and concealed weapons. Spear caught this and hissed at the male before stepping in front of the princess.
The action made the soldier resume his eye contact to the wooden floors. Just as he did, the apes surrounding the fort began to hoot loudly.
Heavy footsteps slowly approached Spear, Marahan and the prisoners. Staying behind Spear, Marahan leaned more toward the wall to make room.
Caesar, Luca, and Winter stepped forward a few meters from the captives. Out of the corner of his eye, Ceasar saw Marahan. His face not flinching from his tired and angry gaze.
With a small nod, Luca moved close to Marahan, acting as an extra source of protection if anything went wrong.
Everyone was silent despite the noises coming from the injured apes.
Another pair of footsteps approached the group, a familiar orangutan came in the front and stood next to Caesar.
"Sixty-three dead." Maurice said causing a wave of sorrow to crash over Marahan. Luca put his large arm around the woman bringing her to lean on his chest. She accepted the gorilla's comfort while looking away from the interrogation.
Marahan wanted so badly to let her tears roll down her cheeks and to let the pain out of her system, but she could not do it.
Not here, in front of her enemies.
Marahan moved herself to where she stood in front of Luca. Her back leaning against his chest. Her arms crossed, watching the Ape King tell the ignorant human soldiers how the war really began.
After Caesar's explanation, one of the male soldiers asked about the apes that joined their ranks.
"What about him?" The red-haired soldier asked his head nodding toward the red gorilla whose gaze was away from the others. "We have ten more just like him."
Caesar turned to Red, a look of pity marking his frowning brow.
"I know these apes, they followed Koba. They tried to kill me and fear of what I will do to them. So now they serve you just to survive." The Ape King concluded.
Marahan saw a look of understanding and doubt cross their enemies' faces. It didn't matter if they believed Caesar's words, for now they knew the truth and can spread this to their Colonel.
After all, Caesar was not heartless. Marahan knew her father-in-law was not going to execute the captives, but instead use them to send a message to their leader.
It was his last attempt to end the war peacefully. If the plan backfired at least the colony will have already moved to another location where the humans would be unable to track them.
"We do not fear you." A gruff voice broke out in the fort making the other apes hoot in outrage.
Unpleasantly the voice belonged to a certain traitor.
The princess growled in her position with Luca who wrapped his arm around her waist to prevent Marahan from charging forward.
Speaking against Caesar was an act of defiance worthy of severe punishment. No one in the colony was immune to it not even a traitor.
"You must fear. How long do you think woods can protect you? Humans destroy you. The Colonel has all power, for them he is more than just human."
Marahan frown disregarding Red's words. His entire speech was a ruse to strike fear into the hearts of their troops. She was impressed that the gorilla would stoop so low as to try and scare a colony that is a united force.
"He said first Caesar die. Then all of you die."
Red's threats were interrupted by Spear striking blows against the gorilla sending him to the wooden floor. His grunts of pain a relief to Marahan's ears as she watched Winter force him out.
When Luca went to stand next to Caesar, Marahan was once again ushered behind Spear. The change in area gave her a side eye glance toward her father, Maurice. She didn't dare look upon the orangutan that raised her as her temper flared every time Marahan did.
"Take Marahan outside." Caesar ordered as one of the ape guards was called, escorting the princess outside to the front.
"Princess Marahan, thank you for what you did. Because of you, my brother can go home to his mate." The Ape guard stated bowing to the woman.
"I am sure your brother would have done the same for me, Tebe. Give Roch and Sana my regards." Marahan muttered helping the ape up from kneeling.
"Thank you! And do not worry, I am sure Prince Blue Eyes will return soon." Tebe said returning to his post. Marahan took a seat on the ground, taking a small pebble and tossing it in her palm.
"I hope Blue Eyes comes home soon." Marahan signed to herself, while staring at the pebble. The smooth surface reminding her of the wolf tooth necklace she had given him.
At that moment, she stares at the ring on her finger. The beautiful silver band painted with red and blue swirls symbolizing their union. Marahan lightly traced the patterns, longing for the embrace of her mate.
Her musings were interrupted when she heard a frightening grunt. From the voice it sounded like Winter's. Marahan rushed back inside the fort to the back where Caesar and Maurice stood.
To her horror, the albino gorilla's white hair was covered in blood.
"The traitor attacked me! He got away!"
Marahan frowned looking towards Caesar on what to do.
They could go after Red, but the hunt would be in vain if the gorilla was already back with the Colonel.
Caesar already looked very annoyed over the situation and signed for everyone to prepare to leave for the hideout.
To be Continued…